INSIDE PAGE 5

Battle of the Burgers: Determining the

best burger in the Grosse Pointe area.

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EMILY WIDGREN COURTESY OF DIANE MONTGOMERY

NORTH
GROSSE POINTE NORTH HIGH SCHOOL SINCE 1968
POINTE
NORTHPOINTENOW.ORG WEDNESDAY, DEC. 12, 2018

UPCOMING
EVENTS Healing this house:
CHIOR Faculty, administration work towards improving, maintaining
HOLIDAY
CONCERT staff, student relationships post-conflict
Thursday, Dec.
13 at 7 p.m. at By Syeda Rizvi feelings against diversity. again, but also that any students impacted must be
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF “I think the staff was disappointed because it given the support they need, along with helping any
First English According to Fox2detroit.com, on Nov. 12, the doesn’t represent what is typical for this building. members of staff who are still facing obstacles
Lutheran brother of a student who was murdered at age 17 It doesn’t represent how we feel about students, within the healing process.
Church elaborated on plans for his 21 birthday in class. The about diversity and how we feel about education Alles believes all teachers want to say that they
teacher, who responded with “if you're going to make in general,” Spears said. “It’s disappointing and support and care for their students, and that their
it,” has since left school. Though this event occurred it’s unfortunate.” main goal is to help students achieve whatever they
WINTER weeks ago, students, faculty and administration alike English teachers Kristen Alles said that although set out for.
are still dealing with the aftermath of the incident. only one teacher has left, the impact of this situation “We would do almost anything for our students
BREAK According to principal Kate Murray, even and its effect has transcended through school. She as teachers and administrators,” Alles said. “I
Monday, Dec. before Nov. 12, the focus for this year’s staff believes reaching a high level of understanding with appreciate my students, I’m grateful to them and
24 through was helping students who have suffered adverse students is a significant factor in preventing a similar I will be their biggest supporter, through the ups
childhood experiences. situation from occurring. and downs, best and worst. I’m here to help them
Tuesday Jan. 2. “We’re a family,” Murray said, “and when you’re “In school, there is some fear, some sadness, succeed in whatever that success looks like. Even
a family, you feel for things as a whole... I never frustration, and those feelings are all related. I think though something like this causes things to be
want any of our students or staff at North to feel as if divisive, this may make us sad, it may make us
LINK CREW we do not value them. I never want that.” frustrated, but our job is to teach our students to
STUDY Faculty and administration met be kind and members of society. That is still our

SESSION on Oct. 23, Nov.13 and Dec.
GI AC OB I BU
SH
4 to discuss and learn various
Wednesday, strategies to help student victims of
Jan. 9 from emotional trauma. Strategies discussed
included self-ref lecting, developing a
3:15 to 4:45 self-care accountability system and group
p.m. in the processing check-ins.
cafeteria With the focus of staff revolving around
becoming more informed about adverse childhood
INSIDE
"I THINK
experiences, some staff and faculty members say
this incident was completely unexpected. Spanish
teacher Michael Spears was surprised to find out
about it, but doesn’t believe this is an accurate
representation of the academic environment
staff and students are used to.
IT'S REALLY “That is the most atypical thing that
I have seen come out of this building.
GOOD FOR It was certainly wrong, and I’m not pleased it
happened. I was appalled to hear it,” Spears said.
THE STUDENTS “But I don’t think there is any kind of endemic
problem in this building that caused an incident
TO HAVE like this to happen. I think it was an isolated
incident that arose from a bad decision... If I’m
SOMETHING not surprised by something like this think about
“
focus and we will support them no matter what.”
Alles said that time, focusing on the positive,
supporting staff, students and administration
When you’re a family, are all remedies needed to rise above the
current school climate. Murray agrees, and
you feel for things as a also believes that time is vital in overcoming
the repercussions of the incident.
whole... I never want any “I think healing takes time. I think
North High School cares deeply about
of our students or staff at
North to feel as if we do
not value them. I never
“ students and our staff cares about
students,” she said. “So the impact on
one student can impact all students and
the impact on one teacher can impact
all teachers.”
Murray also believes faculty should
want that. remember that teaching is a profession
of “passion and dedication.” To her,
reconnecting with the passion for
Kate Murray education and realizing the amount
PRINCIPAL of positive relationships teachers have with
students is a good way to heal as well.
at least for me, I’m “Every teacher is different but if I could, I
probably a little more would love to grab each and every one of them,
sad,” Alles said. “It’s hard hug them and tell them that they are deeply

DIFFERENT, what that says. I was shocked, absolutely.”

Spears said that in truth, most teachers have
an excellent relationship with students, and an
TO DISTRACT event like this forces everybody to “reset the
relationship button.”
THEM IN A WAY. However, he also believes that this situation is
an opportunity to reevaluate the right sensitivities
SOMETHING to have with students. To him, Spears said staff has
to overcome (focusing
on the negative) but
I’m trying. I’m trying to focus on the
good because there is so much good. But, to
be candid, right now is just feeling sadness and a
little bit of loneliness. It makes you feel like you’re
isolated and looking for a life raft around you.”
According to Alles, a new priority of faculty is not
valued,” she said. “I have been deeply saddened
over the last few weeks for a variety of reasons.
Part of that is because we believe so deeply in
the work that we do at North. I look forward to
our continued work to understand and teach all
students and I have faith that school can do that.”

FUN TO historically worked to fight attitudes of racism and just to make sure nothing like this incident happens

LOOK FORWARD Challenge Day: what it is and its significance

TO AND TO BE By Adam Schwartz & Emily Widgren “There’s so much
PAGE EDITORS stuff that’s going on,
A PART OF. Challenge Day, which is on Dec. 12-13, and there’s such a deeper
provides the opportunity for staff and students to meaning to everybody,”
PAGE 2 gather and discuss each other’s struggles, the goal Loper said. “You just don’t
being to understand everyone on a deeper level. know people and by going,
Special Education teacher Lisa Steiner feels you automatically figure
that Challenge Day is a crucial opportunity to out and you know people
help build a better understanding among students just by talking to them.
and staff alike. I feel like talking really
"CONSIDER Steiner sees the program as a chance to change how helps, because a lot of
people view others who have gone through difficult teenagers, we don’t talk.”
THIS: THE
CHALLENGEDAY.ORG

circumstances, changing the normal reaction one can Steiner said Challenge

REASON
"GET
have to another in tough situations.
“The overall goals of the program are to increase
personal power and self-esteem,” Steiner said, “to shift
Day has helped kids with
a better understanding
of how they view their
PEOPLE ARE dangerous peer pressure to positive peer support and to family and it is relevant to
INFORMED
LIVING eliminate the acceptability of teasing, violence and all everyone, as everybody
forms of oppression.” has gone through a
AND MAKE
LONGER IS
Junior Clare Loch is participating in Challenge Day struggle at some point in
this year, and sees the occasion as a chance to find out their lives.
YOUR VOICE
BECAUSE THE
what goes on in the lives of others. “I hear many stories
“I hope to gain more of an understanding (to) how about kids understanding
HEARD.RACE
HUMAN WE people deal with the tough times they go through or themselves, their family
mental illness and how people bounce back from those dynamics and others,”
CANNOT
IS BECOMING
things,” Loch said. Steiner said. “They
In addition, Loch thinks it is a privilege to participate realize they are not
AFFORDAT
BETTER in something that other schools don’t have the choice alone in their pain or
to. She said she is glad that staff encourages students to happiness; that everyone has struggles and that “I think that it’s very important to understand
TO LOSE
THE GAME ."
“get to know each other,” and build on in-school relationships. together, through the simple act of kindness, we that no one’s alone and everyone goes through
Junior Mariah Loper, who participated in Challenge Day can help each other through life challenges.” it in one way or another.” Loch said. “It’s
THEM." her freshman year is doing it this year as well. She views it Loch added that Challenge Day is important to important that people are there for each
PAGE 3 as an opportunity to be aware of people you are her because she believes it’s important that nobody is other… it is my hope that it enlightens and
PAGE 7 around and to understand them, since she thinks facing a challenge by themselves. changes young people's thinking and behavior.”
many teenagers aren’t as open to others.

By Hannah Za-
@thenorthpointe News 1 Editorial 3 Reviews 5 lewski & Kylie
www.northpointenow.org VOLUME 51 | ISSUE 6 Life 2 Indepth 4 Sports 6 Duke